The Write Way Café welcomes HL Carpenter, a mother/daughter writing team who shares a few tips for improving writing productivity, skill, and inspiration.

March 29 is Smoke and Mirrors Day...we think. Someone could be deceiving us, much the way the hero in our young adult novel, Walled In, is deceived when her father is accused of fraud. But we found out about Smoke and Mirrors Day on the internet, so it must be true, right? :)

Right. Well, one fact we're sure of here in Carpenter Country is that our author friends don't deceive us. Oh, yes, they write mysteries that take us down the garden path, away from the solution to the crime, and they happily sprinkle misdirection here, there, and everywhere in their stories. But in real life, we've learned valuable lessons from other authors.

Here are three.

Good habits. When a famous author was invited to speak at a class we attended, he mentioned that when he's writing, he doesn't stop. If his thoughts wander to his errands while he's in the middle of a scene, he puts a bracket at that point in his manuscript and inserts whatever is on his mind. Then he closes the bracket and continues with his day's writing. When the manuscript is complete, he does a search for these entries and saves them to another document to serve as a journal of his writing.

You might consider this a form of conscious flow. Whatever term you want to use, once we put his technique to work, our productivity increased. As a bonus, these "side" entries provide fodder for new story ideas.

Solid craft. After we've enjoyed reading the latest bestseller by a favorite author, we return to the beginning and reread the book. This time, we take a step back from the story and study the execution. For example, we examine the setup of the first paragraph and think about the ending and how the beginning and end tie together. We also study story arc, character development, and dialogue flow. Each book is a mini course in writing artistry.

Perseverance. J.K. Rowling's trek to publication after multiple rejections is a large part of her personal backstory. And after the success of her boy wizard series, she received a rejection from a publisher when she submitted a manuscript under a pseudonym. That manuscript later went on to be another bestseller. Even if we're never as famous as J.K. Rowling, we're inspired by her story and her persistence.

What have you learned from other authors? Let us know in the comments. In the meantime, happy Smoke and Mirrors Day...and happy reading and writing!

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When her father is accused of fraud, seventeen year old Vandy Spencer discovers her entire life has been built on a heart-shattering deception.

Seventeen year old Vandy Spencer lives like a princess. Sheltered by her wealthy family, she happily makes plans to spend a fantasy before-college gap summer with her gorgeous boyfriend.

Then her dad is accused of a huge financial fraud. Vandy is thrust into a frenzy of media attention as accusations and innuendos pile up daily. The victims of her dad’s swindle vow revenge, and her dad flees.

As her perfect life disintegrates, Vandy retreats to a hermit-like existence in her childhood tree house and struggles to separate reality from lies. Was her perfect life truly so perfect? Did she ever really know her father?

When family secrets come to light, revealing an unimaginable betrayal, Vandy learns to appreciate the simple richness of sincerity and truth.

EXCERPT

A branch cracked behind me and leaves rustled. I scrambled to my feet.

Stenny had come after me! He really did love me, enough to follow me, and…

Pete Hawthorn stepped out of the woods, holding a flashlight. The backglow lit his face, which was drawn into the frown he wore lately whenever he saw me, and his mouth turned down into a scowl. “Don’t you have any sense at all, Dandy-Vandy?”

I should have known Stenny wouldn’t traipse through the woods searching for me. Running through the dark wasn’t his style. He’d use his phone.

My own phone, tucked in the pocket of my shorts, burst into the first bars of Boyfriend. I ignored the noise and poked a finger at Pete’s chest. “Quit calling me that. Don’t you have better things to do than skulk around the woods in the dark? Like maybe going to work?”

“I took the night off.” He peered at me. “Why are you crying?”

“None of your business!” Then, as his words sank in, I asked, “Why’d you take the night off? Is Gus okay?”

“Gramps is the same as he always is.” Pete slid the button on the flashlight and the bulb dimmed. “I stayed home because we heard the news about your dad. We’re going to help, in whatever way we can.” His voice barely carried across the small space between us, the words and tone sincere.

“That means a lot. Thanks. Tell Gus thanks too.”

“Yeah.” Pete turned the flashlight on bright again and waved it in a searching arc. “Where’s the jerk-off? He leave you alone out here?”

My gratitude evaporated like dew off grass. I planted my hands on my hips as my phone played Boyfriend again. “Stenny’s not a jerk-off, and he’s probably at the tree house, where I left him.”

“How nice to know he’ll stay where you tell him to. At least you won’t need to put a leash on him when the two of you are wandering around France.” Pete narrowed his eyes. “The woods are really dark, Dandy-Vandy, in case you haven’t noticed. Do you have a flashlight? Or am I gonna have to walk you home?”

I didn’t need him to babysit me. I opened my mouth to say so, and then reconsidered as the sounds of the night surged around me. He was right. The darkness crackled with noises I hadn’t paid much attention to during my rush to get away from the hurt of Stenny’s doubt. The air seemed ominous too, full of a sickly-sweet odor, a combination of gasoline, motor oil, and damp dirt. The mix stunk the way I imagined zombies – or worse, vampires – would.

“Thanks, Pete. That’s a good idea.”

“I have them occasionally.” He gestured with the flashlight. “The path’s this way.”

We strode along single file without speaking. The dry leaves crackled beneath our feet and the occasional haunting cry of a bird shredded the air.

“Nightingale,” Pete said.

We reached the end of the path, coming out of the woods behind a row of bushes fencing Kingsway’s open lawn. A line of solar lights illuminated the back yard, glowing against the pool cabana and the house’s white walls beyond – big, ornate…and home.

I smiled despite my worries. “I love how pretty our house is at night.”

Pete shut the flashlight off. “I’ll send you pictures while you’re enjoying your European adventure with the jerk-off.”

I was turning to him when a man carrying a portable video camera dashed across the lawn. I gasped. “He’s headed for the house! I have to warn Dad.”

Walled In, a stand-alone young adult novel of approximately 70,000 words, is available as an ebook at Smashwords, and in ebook and paperback format at Amazon.

Mother/daughter author duo HL Carpenter write family-friendly fiction from their studios in Carpenter Country, a magical place that, like their stories, is unreal but not untrue. When they’re not writing, they enjoy exploring the Land of What-If and practicing the fine art of Curiosity. Visit HLCarpenter.com to enjoy gift reads and excerpts and to find out what’s happening in Carpenter Country.

An autistic boy and his brother need potter Shandra Higheagle’s help when a teacher’s body is found after a confrontation with the older brother. Shandra knows the boy is innocent. Digging into the teacher’s life, she and Ryan turn up scandal.Detective Ryan Greer has believed in Shandra’s dreams in the past, but she can’t always be right. When his investigation uncovers a principal on the take, females being harassed, and parents kept in the dark, he discovers more suspects than the brothers. Shandra’s time at the school is coming to an end, and the killer has struck again.

Paty Jager is the award-winning author of the Shandra Higheagle Mystery series. All her work has Western or Native American elements in them along with hints of humor and engaging characters. Paty and her husband raise alfalfa hay in rural eastern Oregon. Riding horses and battling rattlesnakes, she not only writes the western lifestyle, she lives it. This is what Mysteries Etc has to say about her Shandra Higheagle mystery series: “Mystery, romance, small town, and Native American heritage combine to make a compelling read.”Blog / Website / Facebook / Paty's Posse / Goodreads / Twitter/ Pinterest / Bookbub

The Write Way Café does something a little different today by interviewing one of the blog's partners. HiDee and Lynn have featured a large variety of talented authors on the blog for a number of years. Today, Lynn Crandall answers the questions we've asked others so you can get to know her a bit better.When did you first have the thought you'd like to write a book? Was that first thought related to writing romance?Casually, I made up stories to tell my younger sister when we were both very young. I wrote a short one-act play when I was twelve. My best friend and I were the only characters and we performed in front of our church. It took me awhile to discover my passion for writing, and in particular romance novels. That first book will never see the light of day. I wrote it in longhand with a pencil in a notebook and it took two weeks. Yeah, not good, but it was a start.What was your path to getting this book written and published? What type of research did you do?My first book was published by Kensington, then it took me a few years to juggle my way through family, a day job, and writing to produce another novel. That was titled Dancing with Detective Danger, a romantic suspense. For that story, I interviewed police officers and detectives to help me write about private investigator sisters and their private investigator and police officer heroes. The heroine and the hero carried emotional scars that I needed input from a counselor and real people who had experienced those particular traumas. I do Internet research to get background and familiarity with various elements of the story, but I really enjoy first-hand interviews.

Where did the idea for your story come from?

Dancing with Detective Danger was an exploration of family working together and creating family out of people beyond their biological family. I feel our commonly held beliefs for how family occurs and behaves is often far from the real experience of family. I wanted to explore different ways of finding groups where we get a sense of belonging. All my subsequent books, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, and contemporary romance, carry that theme of what makes a family, within the context of the developing love relationship, of course.

Why did you pick the setting you did?

I only write stories set in the Midwest. There is so much natural beauty everywhere, but I like the variety of the Midwest. So whether the setting is a fictitious town during a Michigan winter, a rural area of Minnesota, or a big city located on one of the Great Lakes, nature is a frame for the characters’ experience. More recently, I’ve been having fun pinning setting images, which include housing fitting the characters, natural landscapes, town scenes, and other relevant elements, in my Pinterest book boards.

Are your main characters completely imaginary or do they have some basis in real people? Do they reflect aspects of yourself?

My main characters reflect their individual stories. They are imaginary, but sometimes they may be an amalgam of a variety of personality types. I believe people are born who they are, but are also shaped by their life experiences and behave out of patterns and beliefs, rather than their true selves. Part of their character arcs demonstrate dealing with their understanding of who they are and learning about their true selves and how they want to express their values. So, in a way, that experience for characters reflects my personal goals, abstractly.Did you face any blocks while writing the book, and if so, how did you handle them? If not, what's your secret?

I wish I had magical secrets that would prevent blocks. The closest thing I have to a secret is personal, and it is to write. It’s not unusual for me to get bogged down and not write, which makes things worse. Over and over, when I just sit down and dig in, my muse is there with things to say. And I always say a big thank you to my magical, invisible writing team for showing up, because the next day may begin the same way. I really admire writers whose writing is hard won and they just keep soldiering on regardless of level of support, amount of available time, or bouts of discouragement.

What have been surprises you've encountered while writing the book and after?

With each book, I have been happily surprised at being able to write, and finding that I like what I’ve written. I get pretty attached to my characters and their trials. For instance, in Probabilities, as I was writing I realized I was going kill off a young boy’s mother. I really struggled with that. How could I take away his mother??!! I cried during writing the scenes regarding her death and the child’s life after. That was surprising.

What did you learn? For instance, what did you learn about yourself, your process, the writing world; about technique, skills, and your goals?

I love words and streaming them together, and reaching for a way to produce the kind of immersive experience I want readers to get. I always strive to improve my skills. But beyond all that, what I’ve learned from writing is that for me it is a vehicle for personal growth, purpose, and having more and more joy becoming more and more who I really am.

Tell us about your writing space and how or why it works for you.

I lust after the writing space Tom Selleck had in the movie Her Alibi. It was upstairs on the second or third floor in a kind of large attic room with windows and books and disorganized order all around. But…I have a desk in front of a window, two tall bookshelves to my left filled with books I turn to during writing, a shelf with little things that inspire me or tickle my imagination, and filing cabinets. I would love a writing space in a personal library, and a much bigger desk, which would still be orderly in my own disorderly way.

What are some of your favorite books and why?

Books that have taken my breath away include Persuasion by Jane Austin because of the characters’ palpable aching for each other; Jane Eyre because of the absolute devotion the main characters have for each other; and the Dark Materials series by Philip Pulman for their tremendous depth. I credit Kelley Armstrong’s Women of the Otherworld series with teaching me everything I needed to know about myself. I could go on, because there are the Harry Potter books, the Greywalker series by Kat Richardson, and on and on.

What are you working on now?

Presently I am writing a contemporary romance I’ve tentatively titled Love and Cherish. It is a runaway bride story that is challenging me.

Would you like to try your hand at writing a different genre?Which one and why?

I have written romantic suspense, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, and a children’s book. I’ve enjoyed writing them all, but I am keenly interested in writing women’s fiction and plan to start one this summer. I also dream of writing dark fantasy.

If you were not a writer, what would your dream job be?

I would never not be a writer. LOL But I also would like to study and be knowledgeable about art history.

What aspect of writing gives you the most trouble?

I’ll admit, writing skillfully to show not tell keeps being a challenge.

Who is your favorite hero/heroine?

I’m going to be selfish and pick from my own books. Even picking from those books is hard. I love them all. But because Quinn in Probabilities is not a typical romance novel hero, I have a soft spot for him.

Lynn Crandall lives in the Midwest and writes in thecompany of her cat. She has been a reader and a writer all her life. Her background is in journalism, but whether writing a magazine or newspaper story or creating a romance, she loves the power stories hold to inspire, empower, and uplift.

The world didn't end in fire and explosions, instead it collapsed slowly, like falling dominoes, an intensifying panic of disease, food shortages, wild weather and collapsing economies, until what remained of humanity battles for survival in a harsh new reality.An assassin by trade, a loner by nature, Mercy is sent to infiltrate the Cartels and unmask the identity of their new silent partner. Instead, she discovers a darker plan threatening to crumble the entire Southwest and ends up with a hefty bounty on her head. Still, she’s determined to stop the impending attack at any costs, even if it means partnering up with a member of the notorious Fate’s Vultures.After enduring a brutal, blood soaked lesson on the savagery of civilization’s scavengers, Havoc is well acquainted with the consequences of battling predators. But as a member of the nomadic band of arbitrators known as Fate’s Vultures, he’s determined to cement the necessary allies to oust the biggest threat looming on the horizon. When an enigmatic woman crosses his path, her secrets and troubling loyalty light the fuse on an unexpected craving and his insatiable curiosity.In order to trap a common foe and derail an impending threat, Havoc and Mercy must turn the tables to hunt a predator. Can an assassin and a mercenary find their balance on the thin line of loyalty, or will it snap under the weight of their wary hearts?

Jami Gray is the coffee addicted, music junkie, Queen Nerd of her personal Geek Squad, Alpha Mom of the Fur Minxes, and award winning author of the Urban Fantasy series, The Kyn Kronicles, the Paranormal Romantic Suspense series, PSY-IV Teams, and her latest Romantic Suspense series, Fate’s Vultures. She writes to soothe the voices in her head.

The Write Way Café welcomes author Susanne Matthews, who offers tips for effective writing of setting.

Good morning. It’s a pleasure to be here today. This morning, I would like to discuss setting. To me, realistic settings are critical to the story, and I do my best to work my stories into places I’ve been, but that isn’t always possible.

Most new authors work on a limited budget. That being said, while hands-on research is best, a lot of us have to rely on the opinions—and photographs—of others and Internet research. This picture is one I took in January on Cozumel during my recent Caribbean cruise. Until this year, I had never been any farther south than Williamsburg, Virginia.

Last year, when I decided to create a tropical setting for my novel, Wedding Bell Blues, I relied heavily on research and the opinions and comments of friends and family who’d taken island vacations. Creating an imaginary place as the setting often works better than using a real location, especially if you have limited knowledge of the region, but even then, you need to have enough information about the area, its history, its laws, and its people to make the setting and the story believable. For example, if you decided to set a story in the Mediterranean, you can’t have your characters using machetes to cut back jungle and tropical rainforest. Any reader who lives in that area or has been there will dismiss the story at once and probably give you a lousy review simply because you didn’t do your homework.

Wedding Bell Blues is set on Paradise Island, an imaginary island off the coast of Martinique in the Caribbean. When I wrote the story, I wanted to give it something different. There are so many romance novels out there, I wanted mine to stand out. So, instead of your typical contemporary romance, I added paranormal elements by suggesting mermaids existed and live among us as well as using Quimbois, the voodoo religion practiced in the area. I added a cursed sunken treasure, a greedy evil practitioner of the dark arts, and of course a romance. This is a second chance at love story where a girl who had a crush on her brother’s best friend actually gets the guy. But, for MJ, the course of true love doesn’t run smooth as whatever can go wrong does.

Since I started the story in the dead of a Canadian winter, I wanted to visualize the sun and the sea, but more importantly, I wanted to be able to describe it so that other armchair travelers would see it, too. When my husband surprised me with plans for a Caribbean vacation this year, I was thrilled. Not only would I get a chance to escape the cold for 14 days, I would be able to see how close I’d come to reality. I wasn’t disappointed.

Here’s one of the pictures I took. I was absolutely awed by the color of the water and the shades of blue reflected in them.

One of the primary images in the novel is the color of MJ’s eyes. Here Paul reflects on them.

There was no way in hell he’d ever forget her incredible eyes. They were a pale aquamarine with a deeper ring of the same color edging the outer iris. They reminded him of sand beaches and warm seas, and he’d never seen any others like them.

Here is MJ’s reaction. Instead of commenting, she stared out at the aquamarine water once more. Were her eyes really that shade?

Another image I used involved the vegetation common to the region. Our vacation coincided with the end of the rainy season, but we saw a lot of downed trees and puddles. The week before we arrived in Roatan, a mud slide had claimed the life of a child. Beautiful scenery could be destroyed in a matter of hours.

Paul and MJ have such a storm during their stay, a fitting backdrop for their own emotional storms. Picture this beach as MJ sees it after the storm. If you saw any of the footage from last season’s hurricanes, you can easily visualize the damage. While there were a few broken branches here, the trees had survived intact. Palms are hardy trees, well suited to withstanding storms, and even if they lose most of their leaves, as long as the palm bud or palm heart at the top of the trunk isn’t damaged, it will regrow its branches.

All around them, branches from palm trees and other tropical plants littered the wharf. The water level in the lagoon, which had been a good two feet below the walkway, was mere inches under the boards, and up ahead, along the beach, half a dozen of the majestic Roystonea trees, better known as royal palms, had been uprooted. Two of them blocked the path leading to the main building.

I could go on all day about how everything I saw confirmed or exceeded my expectations, but I will leave you with one last image.

In the novel, MJ falls overboard, and Paul dives in to save her. Because I am severely asthmatic, I could never hope to see what Paul did, but never say never. In Georgetown, Cayman Islands, we took a submarine ride. I was so excited, I didn’t have time to worry about being 112 feet underwater. Here’s Paul’s description. Diving deeper, he opened his eyes, ignoring the burn of the salt water. As always when underwater without a mask, everything was fuzzy and distorted, but the water was amazingly clear. He looked below him into the darker depths and saw her drifting down, a strange iridescent purple shadow beneath her, almost as if it was supporting her.

And here is what I saw through the porthole. Yes, the water really is blue 112 feet down!

While I will always try for realism in my settings, it’s nice to know that proper research can come close to reality.

Wedding Bell Blues is available in paperback and digital from most online retailers including

Amazon bestselling author Susanne Matthews was born and raised in Cornwall, Ontario, Canada. A retired educator, Susanne spends her time writing and creating adventures for her readers. She loves the ins and outs of romance, and the complex journey it takes to get from the first word to the last period of a novel. As she writes, her characters take on a life of their own, and she shares their fears and agonies on the road to self-discovery and love.

She drives off on an adventure. Since her husband died, the widow feels angry so she gets on his Harley and drives to the club. She thinks why not? It's my Harley now and I can shoot. Heart aching, she drives.That's the beginning of the story. A woman lost and wondering what will happen next.I've been writing for years with many cats on my lap. Stories of love, humor and therapy dogs, all fun. Enjoy my work and know I write for pleasure. From my heart.This story is special; I hope you all enjoy it.

Joan finds herself alone after the death of her husband of 37 years. Determined that she will not become a recluse confined to her home, she forces herself to take part in life as a single woman. The work she does helping others with her therapy dogs become part of the strength that propels her to move forward in life and quit blaming her husband for dying.AmazonAbout Charmaine: I was an actor for many years on daytime drama: One Life to Live, Another World, All My Children. Movies: my first was Working Girl where I sang Happy Birthday to Melanie Griffith and shared a Hot Dog with Harrison Ford during the break. The Road to Wellness with Sir Anthony Hopkins,"call me Tony" he said and invited me to lunch at the special room for the leads and staff. What fun and delicious filet mignon. The sweet time in my life after caring for a large family in the loving days of momhood. Then my voice failed me and I began writing. How I love this career and my publisher, Kimberlee Williams, Vanilla Heart Publishing.

The Write Way Café welcomes author Emma Lane, who delights in research and shares a glimpse of it about Brighton, the setting for her Regency romance.Let’s be candid. Research is a delight and writers probably use every excuse they can get to indulge. I contend it’s my insatiable curiosity that is the culprit. Brighton, located in England, had always been in the back of my mind to discover. In choosing the focus of my next Regency Romance, I promised myself to learn more about that town sitting on the coast. The king to be (George IV) built himself a “castle” there, a home away from home.Brighton is a beach resort, even today, made popular as a sort of spa by a physician contending that sea water was a health remedy. When Prinny decided to build what some called a monstrosity, his followers flocked to the small town by the sea. Small rentals were built and the town hummed while he was in resident. I plopped a small boarding school off to one side where poor Lady Mary was left for five long years. Her father, an odd man to be sure, left her there without a break for the entire time. Small wonder she used her lively mind to devise ways to fight the boredom. It didn’t take a large leap to imagine a handsome English spy lurking there on the coast so near France. Lady Jane’s nocturnal jaunts were bound to get her in trouble. Poor young girl had no idea that a kiss could be so very dangerous. Her research and mine were in sync as I looked around the city, and she contemplated the lips of a very handsome pirate. No, he was a spy, but with that bandana tied around his silky fall of dark hair, Jane could be excused for misinterpreting his identity.

The Royal Pavilion - Photo from Wikipedia

Lady Jane seeks antidote for her boredom much like a writer tackles research for a busy mind. Brighton is a delightful town both historical and present day. Try it, you might agree. That amazing creation on the pier is now a museum open to the public.

Lady Jane's TrystRipe for adventure, Lady Jane welcomes the charming pirate who offers her the excitement she craves.Five years at Miss Agatha’s Finishing School for Young Ladies in Brighton, without a single day away, leaves Lady Jane longing for any respite to liven her deadened senses. An accidental meeting with a handsome stranger initiates a journey of danger, excitement, affection, and eventually love, even as Lady Jane wonders if a person could be considered an orphan while still possessing a parent.Amazon

About Emma: Enjoying cold winters and velvet summers, Ms. Lane resides in Western NY. As Emma Lane, she writes Regency historicals. Under the pen name Janis Lane, she enjoys plotting Cozy Mysteries. Every once in awhile, she leaves the greenhouse where she plays with flowers to send out another novel or two.FacebookWebsite

Set a course for adventure with these four couples as they take to the high seas only to find new romance.

Little White Lies: (R. C. Matthews)Attorney Madalyn Russell may have dumped her fiancé at the altar, but no way is she rejecting the honeymoon cruise. Unfortunately, she didn’t cancel the newlywed package, and now she’s stuck as a single in a lovebird world. That is, until a devilishly handsome man with a secret, Royce Spencer, offers a deliciously indecent proposal: He’ll pose as her husband in exchange for companionship during the cruise. She can’t deny their attraction, but will their little white lies make too many waves when Royce’s past finally catches up with him?

Romancing the Seas: (Cait O’ Sullivan)When a relationship gone bad sinks sous-chef Pippa Renshaw’s plans, she swaps her job in a prestigious London restaurant to become the head chef on a cruise ship sailing around New Zealand. It’s a great escape plan until a mix-up means she has to share a suite with her new boss, the delectable Jonathon Eagleton, who is no happier about the circumstances. These two can handle the simmer… but when the heat turns up, is it a recipe for true love?

Magic Moment: (Angela Adams)Shortly after the FBI brings in Laura Roberts for questioning regarding activities at the warehouse where she keeps the books, a gang of thugs snatch her off the street. Chase Donovan boarded his boat intending to spend a few peaceful days getting his head together, but instead he finds trouble when he interrupts two men assaulting a woman in his cabin. What’s more, they claim his father told them to do it. Chase doesn’t want to believe his father could hurt anyone. Laura doesn’t understand why she’s a target. Can they put their mutual attraction and time on his yacht to work to discover the truth before someone dies?

Reach for Tomorrow: (Peggy Gaddis)Nurse Claire Frazier was devoted to her fiancé, until he threw that love back in her face. Disillusioned and burning with shame, she books passage on a world cruise, along with an intriguing collection of fellow passengers: an attractive second officer, a detective, and a confidence artist. Is love waiting once again at the next port of call?

About Angela:Writing and reviewing contemporary romances, Angela Adams’ work has appeared in Romance at Heart, Oysters and Chocolate, Whipped CreamReviews,Long and Short Reviews. Her short story, “Burgers and Hot Chocolate,” was featured in the anthology, Winter Wonders published by Whimsical Publications. Her romantic suspense novel, Magic Moment, was published by Crimson Romance.

Angela is a member of Romance Writers of America. Growing up in Philadelphia, PA, her passions are reading, strolling through Philadelphia’s Historic District, and cheering for the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Write Way Café welcomes author Lynda Rees, a free spirited adventurer with workaholic tendencies who is following her passion for writing, and supporting her granddaughter's writing too.

Since my first grandchild was born I’ve written special books for them based on their age groups. These private stories were for my babies, and I’ve never considered publishing them. My ten-year-old granddaughter, Harley Nelson, reads at a college level consuming chapter books like water. Her favorite treat is a trip to the library. Her favorite pastime when she stays with me is dictating short stories. I type them into a book template and print them for her collection. I have a notebook full of these tales.

When Harley started reading thick books like Harry Potter, I suggested she and I get serious about writing a publishable book appealing to middle-grade children. I write mostly mysteries, and Harley enjoys reading them, so we decided to make it a suspense story. We started it a year ago. During the process of getting it to press, we realized it was series worthy. We’re outlining book two now.

Freckle Face & Blondie launches March 1, 2018. Harley’s mom, my daughter Brandy, cried when she saw it on Amazon. The first day it was up for pre-order, Harley’s principal announced on the school loudspeaker he’d purchased his copy and wanted Harley to sign it. She was so excited I could hardly understand her on the phone when she called to tell me.

Harley and I worked as a well-oiled team, and enjoyed the journey. Involved in every aspect of the process, Harley came up with the hook for the story, chose the cover art, character names, and dictated the first round outline, making sure the language was age-appropriate for the genre. With each round of editing, Harley did a re-check to ensure the story never lost its appeal to people her general age group. As a published author, I brought industry insight making sure the story flowed well, was properly written with no loose ends, and managed the editing process getting it to press.

The Freckle Face & Blondie series is about two rambunctious girls, curious about everything, who want to become detectives. They establish their own private eye firm with an on-line presence using today’s savvy tools and skills getting involved with problems of friends and family, and helping resolve mysteries happening around them. They are two ordinary young ladies involved in extraordinary circumstances.

Rambunctious girls, Freckle Face and Blondie, dream of becoming detectives. They open a private investigation company to start solving mysteries so they’ll be experts by the time they’re adults. When their friend Katy disappears suspiciously and her mother is frantic police search for the girl. They should stay out of it, but Freckles and Blondie follow leads and reveal new clues. Sharing discoveries with authorities, they’re told to stop looking. Timing is critical and could mean the difference between life and death to Katy.

KindleAmazonLynda Rees is a story teller and dreamer whose dreams come true. She lives on a farm in Kentucky with her incredible husband and herd of critters watching her children and grandchildren breath—fascinating. Born in the splendid Appalachian Mountains the daughter of a coal miner and part Cherokee Indian, Lynda grew up in northern Kentucky when the Mob reigned supreme in Newport and the city prospered as a gambling, prostitution and sin mecca. She’s fascinated with how history affects today’s lives and it works its way into her written pages. After a corporate career in marketing and global transportation this free spirited adventurer with workaholic tendencies followed her passion with for writing.

Gold Lust Conspiracy, her award winning historical romance, launched Sept, 2017 by Sweetwater Publishing Company along with Parsley, Sage, Rose, Mary and Wine, the first of The Bloodline Series of romantic suspense set in Kentucky horse country. Books 1-5 launch before 2018 with others schedule in the spring. Stay tuned.

Lynda’s first children’s book, Freckle Face & Blondie, is co-authored with her granddaughter Harley Nelson launching early 2018. Enjoy her stories. She hopes you become life-long friends.